With All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers reaching an agreement on a four-year, $188 million contract on Thursday, Parson's is now the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. He'll average $47 million per year, obliterating T.j . Watt's $41 million per year average.
In July, the Steelers signed Watt to a three-year, $123 million extension that includes $108M fully guaranteed at signing. Parsons got $120 million fully guaranteed at signing.
Parsons is 26, five years younger than Watt, so it's not surprising that he smashed Watt's record deal.
Parsons and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones were at odds all offseason, and ultimately couldn't reach a deal. Jones traded Parsons to Green Bay for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks (in 2026 and 2027).
Jones has no regrets on trading Parsons to the Packers: 'We got what we wanted."
"The facts are specifically, we need to stop the run," Jones said during a Thursday night press conference. "And we haven't been able to stop the run in key times for several years. And when you have the kind of extraordinary pass rush that [Micah] had, then the way to mitigate that pass rush is to run at you. If the pass rush doesn't get you ahead pretty big time, and you're playing even or behind, then you've really got a problem in stopping the run."
Jones just thought the $188 million contract that Green Bay gave Parsons wasn't worth it.
"He was an asset that we got four great years out of, but when you are talking about making a contract the kind that he got and for the future, that's quite a commitment," Jones said. "And none of that counts what he did those first four years. It all goes against what he can do for you in the future. The length of that contract and maybe more. Well, then you've got to really weigh how many players — and I'm going to give you this — not only do we immediately get a player, but those draft picks could get us, I'm talking top, Pro Bowl-type players. Could. You won't necessarily get those players. You've got to draft or acquire them. But they could get us as few as three or as many as five outstanding players.
"[It] not only gives us four first-round picks over the next two years, we not only do that, nothing says we can't use some of those picks right now to go get somebody. Don't rule that out."
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Micah Parsons Becomes NFL's Highest-Paid Non-QB, Obliterates T.J. Watt's Deal
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